U.S. Newspapers Duped into Running Form Letters Opposing Kavanaugh

Mark Wilson/Getty Images, Edit: BNNPENNY STARR16 Jul 2018

Leftists who oppose Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination have been called out for circulating for publication on the editorial pages of American newspapers a form letter signed by individuals claiming it as their own.

The British newspaper the Daily Mailuncovered the phony letters opposing President Donald Trump’s pick, resulting in its removal from some newspaper websites and left-wing groups denying any involvement”

At least 21 papers were duped last week, including big-market brands like the Dallas Morning News and The Washington Times. They ran identical letters over a four-day period, each signed by a different person.

The effort is an example of public-relations ‘astroturfing,’ a technique meant to simulate genuine grassroots support for an idea or cause.

The form letter is one small piece of the message minefield erupting around Kavanaugh as he prepares for a brutal confirmation process that will end with scant support from Democrats.

The letter reads:

Brett Kavanaugh is the wrong choice to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court. If he is confirmed to the Supreme Court, everything that we hold dear as a nation will be at stake.

From protecting a woman’s right to choose to dismantling the Affordable Care Act, Kavanaugh could be the swing vote that takes away our rights. His lifetime appointment also means he could also cement the Citizens United decision for decades, giving corporate special interests and mega-donors with extreme agendas even more influence in our democracy.

It’s time to take the “For Sale” sign off of our democracy. The Senate should not vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

“The Washington Times published this letter on Wednesday signed by a woman from Frederick, Maryland – the first of at least 21 instances of the same letter running in four days,” the Daily Mail reported.

“The Columbus Dispatch in Ohio printed the same letter on Friday, signed by a person claiming to be from the suburb of Westerville.”
“The Dallas Morning News quickly deleted the letter from its website after DailyMail.com emailed its opinion editor, who said it had not yet run in print.”

The Daily Mail reported that three anti-Trump, left-wing organizations it contacted said they had no involvement in the letter — Demand Justice, Protect Our Care and MoveOn.org.

The larger news outlets that have published the letter since July 11 include the Washington Times (DC), the Boston Herald (MA), the Columbus Dispatch (OH), the Dallas Morning News (TX) and the San Antonio Express-News (TX).